ORGANIC CHICKEN FEED

[Jsto]

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I've gone the same route, 4myHennyPenny. Although it's not always popular, with myself and my animals, I prefer not to medicate if there is no problem. I went through it when I was a child, building up an immunity to ampicillin which caused problems later when I was in need of antibiotics for something that was actually serious.

I'm under the impression that if you keep their living environment clean, the right temperature, and not too crowded, they will be ok. Particularly if you've never housed other poultry before. Cocci is common and very dangerous, but again, I think the biggest risk factor is keeping the new chicks somewhere that has been exposed to other birds that may have carried it.

Good luck and let me know about CFS. That's where I'll be going if I can't find what i need nearby.

 

[4myHennyPenny]

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Similar reasons for making that decision for myself. Luckily by the time we had our child, we'd found our MD and several other health professionals to support us on this route (including no vaccs). I sometimes get frustrated defending our position and often follow a "don't ask, don't tell" approach. Unless someone really wants to do battle about it, in which case the gloves come off and the research comes out.

There haven't been any other birds on our property (well, except for wild songbirds... which you could argue is a risk), so that's helpful. But again, having the support of a vet you trust, who is on the same page as you philosophically, is HUGE for us. We know he's only a call away if we have any questions. In the meantime, we'll do what we can to keep our environment for the chicks clean and feed and care for them well, just like anyone else. We certainly hope we don't lose any, but even our vet prepared us for the possibility that occassionally chicks die.

I have another thread here RE: a book my vet wrote called Holistic Care for Birds. While directed at exotic bird owners, he said the same approach would be used with poultry. You can read more about it at amazon (author: McCluggage) or at my vet's website, www.wellvet.com.

Will definitely let you know about the food. Thanks for your support, Jsto!

 

[seedcorn]

Are we talking organic or non-medicated? I understand not using medications as the withdrawl time is going to stop you from dressing your own meat. I don't feed medicated feed.

The organic feed is more hype than truth. Do the math, figure out how many acres of corn/beans that are grown organically with average yields, there isn't enough grown to feed the sold "organic" egg/meat already plus the corn meal and corn products that are organic.

 

[dlhunicorn]

If your vet is great then for heavens sake post his name and location as many members often do not know where to look and such!

 

[Chelly]

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Good for you 4myhennypenny for taking the time to really educate yourself and make an informed decisions - I know its hard to do.

 

[4myHennyPenny]

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I'm talking about both organic and unmedicated. And I'm not using my chickens for meat, they'll just be pets and provide eggs. Nonetheless, I choose not to use medications unless necessary.

There are certainly some who have abused the organic labeling, making it difficult both for consumers and those growers actually following organic practices. While certification has helped in some regards, it's quite expensive and unrealistic for small growers. If you are fortunate enough to have a relationship with your grower and know they are following organic practices, even though they may not be able to afford the certification, you know you can trust you are purchasing pesticide- and chemical-free products. Just wish there were more of them around us!

As I have my own business which relies upon organic and chemical-free ingredients to produce my products, the subject of organic living is very important to me. And once our child came along, it was "baptism by fire", so to speak. Many people, like our child, are extremely sensitive to pesticides, artificial colorings, etc. and become progressively more ill the greater their exposure. For both my family and my business, I research our food and ingredients to find the best sources possible: those which support sustainable farming practices and practice organic and biodyanic farming where possible.

I've noticed that in most chicken feeds, the primary ingredient seems to be corn. Corn is one of the primary GMO (genetically modified) crops grown throughout the states now. There are now studies which suggest it's in part to blame for our vanishing bees, decreasing monarch butterfly populations, much less the concern regarding the long term health effects for humans who consume it.

For all of these reasons, I choose to buy organic. You're probably right that not everyone is completely honest about growing their crops organically. But I know for certain when I buy conventional that it is not organic and the corn is probably all GMO. So I've got to put my trust somewhere. In the meantime, I keep looking for local organic and biodynamic farms--farmers markets are a great resource!

 

[4myHennyPenny]

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Certainly! His name is Dr. David McCluggage, and he is located in Longmont, Colorado. You can read more about his practice at his website, www.wellvet.com. He works with small animals, some equine, and also specializes in avian medicine (in fact, he was a nationally recognized expert in avian medicine). He presents at veterinarian conferences and trainings and was recently named holistic veterinarian of the year.

Many remedies are available for purchase from his site, and they are able to assist you in the selection of your remedies. If I remember correctly, I think he is also available for consultations over the phone.

If you are wanting to find a vet who incorporates a holistic approach to traditional veterinary medicine, check out his site! As for my family, my mom and our dogs, we've been thrilled with him!!

 

[momma-hen]

You could see if you have any luck here http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/mb/organicchickens

 

[4myHennyPenny]

Thanks, momma-hen. Waiting to hear back on approval.

 

[xyresicchick]

i made up a page of my organic feed searchings!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=50372-organic-chicken-food-options